The place to be📍

Meteora, Kalabaka, Greece 🇬🇷 Monasteries on rock pillars, once accessible only by frayed ropes. In the foothills of the Pindus mountains, above the central Greek plains of Thessaly, is a series of geological wonders that stick out from the ground. Wind, water, and the harsh temperatures have carved out a series of gigantic sandstone pillars, some of them hundreds of meters high. What better place to establish a monastery then in, as Meteora is sometimes translated, “the heavens above”? At its peak the complex included 20 monasteries, however only six of them remain today; five are for men only, and the sixth for women. 📍Location: near the town of Kalabaka at the northwestern edge of the Plain of Thessaly near the Pineios river and Pindus Mountains. The place to beMeteora, Kalabaka, Greece 🇬🇷 Monasteries on rock pillars, once accessible only by frayed ropes. In the foothills of the Pindus mountains, above the central Greek plains of Thessaly, is a series of geological wonders that stick out from the ground. Wind, water, and the harsh temperatures have carved out a series of gigantic sandstone pillars, some of them hundreds of meters high. What better place to establish a monastery then in, as Meteora is sometimes translated, “the heavens above”? At its peak the complex included 20 monasteries, however only six of them remain today; five are for men only, and the sixth for women. 📍Location: near the town of Kalabaka at the northwestern edge of the Plain of Thessaly near the Pineios river and Pindus Mountains. The place to be

Merzbacher Lake, Ak-Su, Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬 Glacial lake that mysteriously empties itself every year. Even in a country like Kyrgyzstan, so blessed with stunning natural scenery, Merzbacher Lake is truly outstanding. Every spring, when the frozen lake melts, the lake’s waters lap at the tongue of the glacier and successively breaks off chunks of ice. The lake filled with drifting icebergs is a spectacular sight, but that is not all there is to Merzbacher Lake. The lake constitutes a phenomenon known as a proglacial lake, a lake dammed by a glacier. Merzbacher Lake is highly exceptional since the lake repeatedly gets emptied, just to get refilled soon after. 📍Location: at the confluence of the Inylchek Glacier in one of the most inaccessible regions of the Tian Shan Mountains of Kyrgyzstan The place to beMerzbacher Lake, Ak-Su, Kyrgyzstan 🇰🇬 Glacial lake that mysteriously empties itself every year. Even in a country like Kyrgyzstan, so blessed with stunning natural scenery, Merzbacher Lake is truly outstanding. Every spring, when the frozen lake melts, the lake’s waters lap at the tongue of the glacier and successively breaks off chunks of ice. The lake filled with drifting icebergs is a spectacular sight, but that is not all there is to Merzbacher Lake. The lake constitutes a phenomenon known as a proglacial lake, a lake dammed by a glacier. Merzbacher Lake is highly exceptional since the lake repeatedly gets emptied, just to get refilled soon after. 📍Location: at the confluence of the Inylchek Glacier in one of the most inaccessible regions of the Tian Shan Mountains of Kyrgyzstan The place to be

Fjaðrárgljúfur, Iceland 🇮🇸 Strange rock formations tower above the river that snakes through this enchanting Icelandic canyon. At just over a mile long, it certainly doesn’t boast the enormous expanses of the world’s other mighty canyons. But what it may lack in size, it absolutely makes up for in beauty. The canyon is made up of an assortment of crazy rock formations. They stretch skyward, flanking a river like gargantuan grass-clad guardians. A walking trail traces the top of the crags, leading to a certain spot that lets hikers feel as though they’re standing atop a kingdom of sublime natural wonders. 📍Location: a bit off the path off Iceland’s famous Ring Road The place to beFjaðrárgljúfur, Iceland 🇮🇸 Strange rock formations tower above the river that snakes through this enchanting Icelandic canyon. At just over a mile long, it certainly doesn’t boast the enormous expanses of the world’s other mighty canyons. But what it may lack in size, it absolutely makes up for in beauty. The canyon is made up of an assortment of crazy rock formations. They stretch skyward, flanking a river like gargantuan grass-clad guardians. A walking trail traces the top of the crags, leading to a certain spot that lets hikers feel as though they’re standing atop a kingdom of sublime natural wonders. 📍Location: a bit off the path off Iceland’s famous Ring Road The place to be

Preah Vihear Temple, Kantuot, Cambodia 🇰🇭 The Preah Vihear Temple is a gem of Cambodian temple architecture, although for a long time, many fought for this jewel to belong in Thailand’s crown. A temple has existed on the site since the 9th century, but the elaborately detailed complex found here today dates back to around the 11th century. It was built by the Suryavarman kings who were replicating the glorious intent of the nearby temples at Angkor. The whole complex is set up in a long horizontal line along the edge of the cliff, comprised of multiple structures, each impressive in their own right. 📍Location: among the Dângrêk Mountains The place to bePreah Vihear Temple, Kantuot, Cambodia 🇰🇭 The Preah Vihear Temple is a gem of Cambodian temple architecture, although for a long time, many fought for this jewel to belong in Thailand’s crown. A temple has existed on the site since the 9th century, but the elaborately detailed complex found here today dates back to around the 11th century. It was built by the Suryavarman kings who were replicating the glorious intent of the nearby temples at Angkor. The whole complex is set up in a long horizontal line along the edge of the cliff, comprised of multiple structures, each impressive in their own right. 📍Location: among the Dângrêk Mountains The place to be

Ushaiqer Heritage Village, Ushaiqer, Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 Abandoned station along an ancient pilgrimage route. Ushaiqer is one of the oldest settlements in the region. In the old times, it used to be a necessary stop for pilgrims coming from Kuwait, Iraq, and Iran and heading further west toward the holy sites of Islam. Ushaiqer first appears in the writings of Al-Hutay’a, an Arab poet that lived in the 7th century, but its origins are probably much older. The idea of a “heritage village” brings to mind a place where one can observe a traditional lifestyle. Ushaiqer fits the bill in the sense that one can observe traditional architecture and visit a museum displaying ancient weapons, everyday utensils, embroidered clothing, and artisanal jewelry. The old section of Ushaiqer, however, is abandoned. 📍Location: about 200 kilometers northwest of Riyadh The place to beUshaiqer Heritage Village, Ushaiqer, Saudi Arabia 🇸🇦 Abandoned station along an ancient pilgrimage route. Ushaiqer is one of the oldest settlements in the region. In the old times, it used to be a necessary stop for pilgrims coming from Kuwait, Iraq, and Iran and heading further west toward the holy sites of Islam. Ushaiqer first appears in the writings of Al-Hutay’a, an Arab poet that lived in the 7th century, but its origins are probably much older. The idea of a “heritage village” brings to mind a place where one can observe a traditional lifestyle. Ushaiqer fits the bill in the sense that one can observe traditional architecture and visit a museum displaying ancient weapons, everyday utensils, embroidered clothing, and artisanal jewelry. The old section of Ushaiqer, however, is abandoned. 📍Location: about 200 kilometers northwest of Riyadh The place to be